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S. BURTON. METHOD OF UNITING FABRIOS AND MEOHANISM THEREFOR.

No. 498,617. Patented May 30, 1893'.

THE NORRIS PETERS co. morau'ma. wumusmn. o, c.

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s. BURTON.

METHOD OF UNITING FABRICS AND MECHANISM THEREFOR.

Patented May 30; 1893.

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METHOD OI UNITING FABRICS AND*- MEOHANISM THEREFOR.

No. 498,617; Patented May 30, 1893.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

STOCKTON BORTON, OF RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE WILLCOX & GIBBS SEIVING MACHINE COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

METHOD OF UNITING FABRICS AND MECHANISM THEREFOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 498,617, dated May 30, 1893.

. Application filed April 22, 1892- Serial No. 430,235. (No model.)

- T0 at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, STOCKTON BORTON, a resident of Rutherford, in the county of Bergen and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Method of Uniting Fabrics and Mechanism Therefor, which improve ment is fully set forth in the following specification.

The present invention relates to the manufacture of hosiery and other articles of cutknitted fabric, but may be employed in other manufactures wherein raw edges of fabric are prepared for sewing by the action of a trimmer working in advance of the sewing mechanism.

The object of the invention is the production of a flat seam by bringing two edges of fabric into juxtaposition, and uniting them by a cross-stitch seam, that is to say a seam made by placing stitches in the two contiguous edges of the goods, and uniting these stitches by a thread or threads crossing the meeting line of said edges. Mechanism for producing a flat seam by means of a trimmer acting in advance of cross-stitching devices is described in an application filed November 8, 1890, by Stockton Borton (the present applicant) and Charles, H. Willcox, Serial No. 370,835.

According to the method described in said prior application the two pieces of fabric to be united were arranged on opposite sides of the line of the proposed seam and the two edges overlapped. A vertically reciprocating blade or cutter passed through both pieces of goods and the severed strips, one on each side of the cutter, were guided 0E, so that the two freshly cut edges were brought together, and in that position sewed by a zig-zagin g, or other suitable cross-stitching mechanism, producing a fiat seam.

By the present invention a similar result is obtained, but by a simpler means and in a more advantageous manner.

In the operation above described one of the cut-off strips is concealed from the operator by the body 'of one piece of fabric, and is difficult of access. Moreover, owing to the different thicknesses of the fabric presented at difierent points, it was necessary to devise and adopt for use, special forms of workholding'devices. According to the present invention, the two edges of the goods are brought together and turned upward so as to project a short distance above the work plate in a vertical direction, at an angle to the body of the two pieces which extend away from each otherin opposite directions. In this position the edges are trimmed by a horizontally working trim- 6o mer arranged above and in close proximity to the work plate. This leaves the two edges slightly upturned, but as the work is fed along it passes under the curved toe of the presserfoot, whereby the edges are flattened and brought into close contiguity. They are then united by a vertically reciprocating needle or needles making a cross-stitch, the two severed edges being diverted from the sewlng mechanism by a suitable guide. In this operation both the cut-off strips are in full view of the operator, who can observe and regulate the width of the edges to be trimmed off. The flattening of the upturned edges after trimming crowds the fibers together, rendering the edges more dense, and tending to the production of a firm, strong seam.

What is regarded as the chief new feature of the invention consists in bringing the edges together and turning them at an angle to the body of the goods, trimming the edges in this position, and then uniting them by a needle or needles working in a plane substantially at right angles to the plane of cutting,the upturned edges being pressed down after the cutting to make a fiat seam.

In carrying out this operation mechanism of different sorts may be employed, but the invention includes certain special constructions, combinations and dispositions of trim- 9o ming, and sewing mechanism, as hereinafter pointed out. These can most conveniently be explained by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure I, represents, partly in side eleva- 5 tion and partly in vertical section, so much of a combined sewing and trimming machine as is necessary for the comprehension of the invention. Fig. II, is a partial perspective on a larger scale. Figs. Ill and IV, are sectional 10o plan views showing the trimmer blades in different positions. Fig. V, is apartial side elevation. Fig. VI, is a detail in plan illustratlng the preferred form of presser foot. Figs. VII and VIII are respectively a front view and a longitudinal vertical section of the 1same; and Fig. IX, is a partial front eleva- The machine, except in the particulars hereinafter specified and claimed, is or may be of ordinary construction. It has a cylindrical bed A, supporting the curved work plate A, that construction being commonly employed for convenience in sewing the sleeves and like parts of garments. It has a main shaft B in the goose-neck with appropriate devices for reciprocating the needlebar 0 vertically, and a cam B, lever 13 connecting rod B and other connections of ordinary construction for vibrating the needlebar horizontally, so as to produce a zig-zag stitch. So far there is no novelty in the machine shown in the drawings.

The work plate A is provided, in front of the trimming mechanism, with an upright ridge d beveled to an edge and extending in the line of the proposed seam. This ridge constitutes a guide for deflecting the edges of the two pieces of fabric upward, or at an angle with the main portion of the goods. The end of guide d extends a short distance into a slot or recess cut in the front edge of the presser-foot E, and across this slot work the horizontal trimmerblades ff. As shown both blades are arranged to move toward and away from each other, but obviously this construction is not essential, and it may be here observed that any suitable form of trimmer may be employed, the essential thing being that its cutting edge or edges be in a plane substantially at right angles to the plane of the needle. The trimmer-blades or cuttersf f are supported by arms F F fulcrumed on the presser bar E, and the upper blade is pressed toward the lower blade by a coiled spring E In the rear of the presserbar is a vertical shaft G, which receives motion from the main shaft through bevel gears G G and is provided at its lower end with eccentrics g g for actuating the shear arms F F. Atension spring 9 keeps the ends of the arms F F in contact with the faces of their eccentrics. The latter are of suflicient height to permit the rise of the trimmer arms when the presser-foot is lifted. Other suitable means for vibrating the shear-arms may, of course, be employed. As shown, the eccentric g is larger than the eccentric g, and consequently blade f moves through agreater distance than blade f. The former is provided with aprojection f extending beyond its cutting edge and overlapping blade f, and it is preferred to give blade f the longer motion to facilitate the introduction of the work at the commencement of an operation. The strips severed by the shear-blades pass over the flat presserfoot, and are diverted from the needle by an upright curved guide h, passing under sheararm F, which is bent upward to permit the passage of these strips. The two pieces of fabric M, N pass under the presser-foot, their freshly trimmed upturned edges being pressed down by the curved surfacei of the under side of the foot. These edges are immediately stitched bythe vibrating needle C which works through an oblong slot in the presser-foot, as usual.

In operation the edges of the two pieces of goods, M, N are brought together, and turned upward, meeting over the edge of the deflecting guide or ridge d, and the trimmer-blades being in the position shown in Fig. IV and the presser-foot lifted, the upturned edges are brought between the blades and the forward ends of the pieces M N are inserted beneath the presser-foot which is now lowered, clamping the work against the serrated feed-surface Zc, which works through slots in the flat throat plate D. The machine is now put into operation, and the severed strips m, a pass over the shear blades, and are diverted around the needle by the guide h. The shoe or plate f which overlies blade f has at its forward end a downwardly projecting toe, which, as the shoe vibrates, pushes the strips m n toward the guide h. The construction of this shoe is substantially as described in Patent No. 472,095,granted April 5, 1892, to Charles H. WillcoX and Stockton Borton. The upturned and trimmed edges of the pieces M N are, as the feed advances the Work, gradually pressed down into a horizontal position by the curved edge t of the presser-foot and in taking this position, the fiber is, of course, somewhat compressed, which tends to the production of a firm and strong seam. The needle 0- acts in the usual manner, and when the work passes from under the foot E, the edges are united by a zig-zag seam, as illustrated in Fig. II.

In Figs. VI, VII and VIII ,is shown a form of presser-foot in some respects preferable to that shown in the other figures. It is provided, just in front of the shear-blades, with a bridge Z, under which the upturned edges pass, and from the middle of this bridge hangs a thin separator plate Z. Bridge Z acts as a gage or stop to limit the width of the cut-off strips, and separator Z furnishes a smooth surface in contact with the edges so that one can be moved without disturbing the other, which is difficult to do when the two surfaces of fabric are in contact. Separator Z also acts as a guide, when there is but one piece to be trimmed, as in case one of the pieces has a selvage or other finished edge. The presserfoot is provided with a tongue h projecting into the needle-slot, over which tongue the thread is laid by the needle, as the latter oscillates back and forth.

It will be obvious from the foregoing description that modifications may be made in the details of construction, and that parts of the mechanism described may be used with- ICC IIC

IIE

out others, without in either case departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having now fully described the principle of my said invention and the preferred man ner of carrying the same into effect, what I claim is 1. The described method of uniting two pieces of fabric, said method consisting in bringing the edges together and turning them at an angle, with the body of the goods trimming said edges while in this angular position, pressing down the trimmed edges into the plane of the body of the goods, and uniting them by cross-stitching, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with a needle and auxiliary mechanism for making a cross-stitch, of a trimmer working in advance of the sewing mechanism, said trimmer having its cutting edge oredges in a plane substantially at right angles with the plane of movement of said needle, substantially as described.

3. The combination with mechanism for making a cross-stitch including a vertically reciprocating needle, of a horizontally working trimmer acting in advance of the sewing mechanism, substantially as described.

4. The combination with mechanism for making a cross-stitch, of a horizontally working trimmer acting in advance thereof, and an upright rib or diverting guide for bending the edges of the fabric at an angle to the body thereof, so as to present said edges in position to be trimmed by a horizontal cut, substantially as described. 5. The combination with sewing mechanism adapted to unite two pieces of fabric placed edge to edge, a horizontally working trimmer acting in advance thereof, means for bending and holding the edges of the fabric at an angle to the body thereof while acted upon by said trimmer, and a presser-foot having a curved under surface for flattening the bent edges before they are sewed, substantially as described. a

6. The combination with mechanism for making a cross-stitch, including a vertically reciprocating needle, of a presser foot a horizontally-working trimmer in advance of the needle, and a curved strip guide on the upper 7 side of the presser-foot for diverting the severed strips around the needle, substantially as described.

7. The combination With mechanism for making a cross-stitch, of a presser foot having a notch or recess in its forwardedge, and horizontal shear blades whose edges overlie said notch or recess, substantially as described.

8. The combination with mechanism for making a cross-stitch, ofa presser-foot, two shear-arms pivoted on the presser-bar and carrying blades which act in front of the needle, and devices for vibrating said arms simultaneously, substantially as described.

9. The combination with the presser-foot and presser-bar, of two arms pivoted on said bar and carrying each a shear-blade, and a vertical shaft having eccentrics for moving said arms and means for holding said arms in operative engagement with said eccentrics, substantially as described.

10. The combination with mechanism for making a cross-stitch, of a presser-foothaving a slot extending inwardly from its front edge, two shear-blades extending from opposite sides of said slot partly across the same, and means for vibrating said shear-blades simultaneously, substantiallyas described.

11. The combination with mechanism for making a cross-stitch, of a horizontal trimmer acting in advance of the sewing mechanism, and a bridge or gage in front of the trimmer for limiting the width of the margin to be severed by the trimmer, substantially as described.

12. The combination of mechanism for making a cross-stitch, a trimmer having its cutting edge acting in advance of the sewing mechanism, a gage or bridge in front of the trimmer and under which the upturned edgespass on their way to the same, and a verticalseparator, substantially as described. f

13. The combination of mechanism for making across-stitch, a trimmer working horizontally in advance of the needle, a presser-foot having a slot extending inwardly from the front edge to permit the edges of the fabric to be upturned for the action of said "trimmer, a bridge extending across said slot and under which the upturned edges pass, and averticalseparator depending from said bridge, substantially as described. v

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

STOCKTON BORTON. 

